Hector Barajas & Mike Vallante

By now, most people should understand that generally, Democrats don’t like the 2nd Amendment. In the name of “safety,” they pass gun laws that attract glitzy media headlines and appease their elite, city-liberal friends but do nothing to protect law-abiding residents in rural and urban communities.

This past month, on a party-line vote, Califoria Senate Democrats passed Senate Bill 264, which bans fairgrounds and other state properties from hosting gun shows. The bill author reasoned it was “probable” some crimes in California were committed using firearms purchased at said gun shows.

Several Republican senators rightly took issue with the “probable” claims and asked for data and proof.

State Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) asked the bill author, “Is there any data or information that you have that shows that any criminal activity has taken place with firearms purchased from a gun show on a state facility?”

The response: ‘There is no data at this point, and the FBI and ATF also don’t have that data.’

Senator Grove and Senator Melissa Melendez pointed out that legislation was being introduced and passed out of legislative committees without the data or science to back up the claims but solely based on “assumptions” and “anecdotal” examples.

In other words, Democrats want to pass more laws to restrict firearms.

Those who’d place restrictions on firearms want us to believe that adding more barriers, creating longer wait times, and limiting the lawful purchase of firearms will magically lead to lower gun violence.

The Los Angeles Times recently reported that California homicides jumped 31% in 2020, reaching the highest total in 13 years. From the state with some of the strictest firearms laws in the nation:

“More than a third of homicides resulted from an argument, 28% were gang-related, nearly 7% were related to domestic violence and 8.5% were connected to a rape, robbery or burglary, his office reported.”

Is someone with serious criminal intent likely to wait through a lengthy process of applying for a firearm with the Department of Justice? What criminal would bother providing their social security number, drivers’ license, and additional identification information?

The Department of Justice reports that the percentage of all state and federal prisoners who had possessed or used a firearm during their offense, 49 percent of them got their weapon either on the underground market (43 percent) or through theft (6 percent).

FROM A COMMUNICATIONS PERSPECTIVE

Frame the Message:

California has the strictest firearms laws in the country, and some of the highest crimes rates. Why are the same people who passed laws in have failed, proposing new laws? Maybe Democrats should go to states with low crime rates and see what they have done and pass those laws.

Democrats like to say, “we follow science and data.” In California they are passing laws based on data which they admit does not exist. Is this Fairytale Land?

Next:

Crime victims, gun owners, and 2nd Amendment advocates need to watch the Senate hearing mentioned above (link and time stamp provided below).

Extract what was said and show how this issue is based on “assumptions” and “probable” claims.

Put the bill discussion on YouTube and turn parts of the video into more bite-size web ads.

Create graphics and have them link back to your videos.

Micro-target your current 2nd Amendment advocates and have them share it with their social media followers. Also, micro-target law enforcement, rural voters, urban Republicans, and independents.

Senate Bill 264 passed on a party-line vote, with all Republicans voting no. The legislation now heads to the State Assembly for their consideration. If the State Assembly approves the legislation, it will move to the Governor’s Desk for his signature or veto.

You can watch the entire debate here: June 1, 2021, Senate Floor Session (00:23:14–00:55:10): https://www.senate.ca.gov/media-archive.

Hector Barajas is a communications expert with decades of political, legislative and media experience. Nationally recognized for his work on political campaigns, ethnic media outreach, and public affairs from Capitol Hill to Sacramento.

Mike Vallante has extensive experience in communications and public relations. Mike served as the Regional Administrator for U.S. Small Business Administration’s Region IX. He previously served as Chief Staff to the Co-Chairman of the Republican National Committee in Washington, DC. Before that, he was Chief Operating Officer of the California Republican Party from 2003 to 2007.